There are certain French words and phrases that I can't hold onto and use spontaneously. In France, you frequently hear people saying "tout à fait" (right, totally, quite, exactly) and "quand même" (nevertheless, all the same, still, finally, really, anyway, indeed). I understand people when they use these phrases, but I'll consider myself fluent when these spring forth automatically from my mouth.
And then there are the pronouns, like this one:
And then there are the pronouns, like this one:
Ceci, cela, laquel, celui-ci......oy vey. Will they ever enter my usage? By contrast, Yiddish slides out effortlessy: schmuck, goyim, meshugeh.
I give myself an 'atta-girl' whenever I use 'dont' or 'en' or 'mienne' (which is infrequent). These pronouns are lodged with the subjunctive tense on an inaccessible shelf in my brain. Help!
I give myself an 'atta-girl' whenever I use 'dont' or 'en' or 'mienne' (which is infrequent). These pronouns are lodged with the subjunctive tense on an inaccessible shelf in my brain. Help!

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